Putting you in the picture - Impact report 2009
For more than seven years the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) has been supporting people who wish to complain about their National Health Service (NHS) treatment or care.
During this time, this free, confidential and independent service has helped over 30,000 people navigate their way around the NHS complaints procedure.
In supporting complainants it has helped individuals understand their rights, make informed choices, and given them a voice.
But what do those who come into contact with the service have to say about it? What do they value most about the advocacy support they receive,and how far does the service act as a catalyst for positive change on a broader level within the NHS?
The three organisations that provide ICAS in England - Carers Federation, POhWER and South of England Advocacy Projects (SEAP) - have brought together the answers to these questions in this Impact Report.
Our report includes personal stories from ICAS clients, professionals within the NHS and the advocates that deliver the service. It describes what ICAS does and how it supports individuals through the NHS complaints process. It also features examples of positive changes that have come about as a result of complaints. It is underpinned throughout by information gathered through stakeholder research and client satisfaction surveys.
We hope that this will provide an overall picture of a truly national service, valued greatly by those that come into contact with it, and one that can, and does, make a real difference.
To read and/or download a copy of this report please click on the following link Putting You in the Picture - ICAS Impact Report 2009 (914 kb) ![[pdf]](http://www.pohwer.net/display_images/document_icons/pdf.gif){kind=icon}
